A Day in South Lake Howard Nature Park

WINTER HAVEN | It might be the only park in Polk County with a "dangerous intersection," but South Lake Howard Nature Park in Winter Haven's got one.

By RYAN E. LITTLETHE LEDGER

WINTER HAVEN | It might be the only park in Polk County with a "dangerous intersection," but South Lake Howard Nature Park in Winter Haven's got one.

Even though walkers say you're more likely to see a great egret or a common moorhen (you'd probably call it a duck) at the intersection of two walking/biking trails that loop a foot-deep marsh traversed by wooden walkways than an accident, the sign still warns: "DANGEROUS INTERSECTION SLOW SPEEDS."

The park, nestled between houses on the southwest side of Winter Haven and the CSX rail lines, is a favorite local spot for runners, who use the paved trails marked in quarter-mile, half-mile and mile loops for easy measuring.

Covered picnic tables near the marshy wetlands are a favorite spot for bird feeders, even if the great egrets' long bills and even longer legs makes feeding the common moorhens a little tougher.

Joggers say the trails at the park can get a little busy on the weekends, but most days it's just few runners and walkers spread evenly throughout the park, which crosses 21st Street Southwest near the railroad tracks and stretches to a small shady conclave of park easily unnoticed from the parking lot.

The park is four-leg friendly, but be sure to use black plastic bags left for dog owners on each side of the park. It might do well to watch the marsh too. It's intermittently home to gators.

[ Ryan E. Little can be reached at ryan.little@theledger.com or 863-401-6962. Follow him on Twitter @LedgerRyan ]